Archive for January 26, 2010
Mubarak courts
Have you ever seen an Egyptian court in action? I have. Today, I watched scenes from the trial of the Hizbullah cell in Egypt. Egyptian court proceedings are very much like TV parodies of court proceedings. They are rather unreal. And the governme…
Posted by As'ad at 11:53 AM 01/26/10
The New York Times’ sinister language
Why did the New York Times find it necessary to insert this sentence at the end of this article: “He has been an outspoken critic of American policy in the Middle East.” Is the implication here that those who criticize US foreign policy in the Middle E…
Posted by As'ad at 11:04 AM 01/26/10
The Israeli propaganda hospital is closed
“Israeli field hospital in Haiti closed” after saving Haiti. (thanks Electronic Ali)
Posted by As'ad at 9:43 AM 01/26/10
History of Haiti
“In the 18th century, Haiti was France’s imperial jewel, the Pearl of the Caribbean, the largest sugar exporter in the world. Even by colonial standards, the treatment of slaves working the Haitian plantations was truly vile. They died so fast that, …
Posted by As'ad at 9:37 AM 01/26/10
Migrant domestic workers in the UK
“Less than a week after arriving in the UK from Africa, Rose realised that she had made a terrible mistake. First, her passport was taken from her at the airport by her new employers. Then the promises that her employers had made began to disappear….
Posted by As'ad at 9:26 AM 01/26/10
The Palestinian upper bourgeoisie
This is a sinister story of the Palestinian upper bourgeoisie. Their story has to be told: how people like Hasib Sabbagh, Basil `Aql, Munib Masri, Shuman, Sa`id Khuri among others were instrumental in propping up the leadership of Yasir `Arafat when h…
Posted by As'ad at 9:19 AM 01/26/10
Many Africans say openly how much they hate the Lebanese. I wonder why.
“The Lebanese have discovered that the best way of surviving, where the regime you’re doing business with could be overthrown tomorrow, is to court the powerful – whoever they are. And an aspiring West African “big man” knows he has to do business w…
Posted by As'ad at 8:51 AM 01/26/10
Ethan Bronner will write a 40-part series on this
“A UN report on Israel’s 22-day offensive against Hamas-controlled Gaza is anti-Semitic, an Israeli government minister said, as the Jewish state prepares to formally respond to its allegations of war crimes.” (thanks Sarah)
Posted by As'ad at 8:49 AM 01/26/10
Polygamists that you like and support
“The announcement of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif’s second marriage was not taken lightly by many young Egyptians, especially those in their mid-twenties, whose financial burdens are denying them from fulfilling their dream of tying the knot.” (thanks…
Posted by As'ad at 8:45 AM 01/26/10
Watch. He will be rebuked.
“A senior American diplomat recently told representatives of the Israeli Defense and Foreign ministries, “I don’t want your security officers to check our cars. What if there are settlers among them? I will not have my people end up like (slain Prim…
Posted by As'ad at 8:43 AM 01/26/10
Blame the Black Man
Look at this lousy headline from An-Nahar: “Until Black Box is Found, Ethiopian Pilot Blamed for Ignoring Control Tower Warning!” And until Lebanon is dissolved, An-Nahar and other racist publications shall be blamed for taking the country to ruin. …
Posted by As'ad at 8:38 AM 01/26/10
Nannies and servants in Beirut
“In Lebanon, nannies and domestic servants take care of households while their owners listen to Black artists who speak of their exclusion from American society.” You are generalizing about class here. Not all Lebanese of course. Families in `Akkar…
Posted by As'ad at 8:35 AM 01/26/10
A sure sign that An-Nahar’s days are numbered
Of course An-Nahar (the racist, right-wing Christian sectarian, anti-Syrian (people), anti-Palestinian (people), white supremacist newspaper–some Lebanese think they are white) is now considered a joke in Lebanon. The articles of its publisher, Nayla…
Posted by As'ad at 8:29 AM 01/26/10
Lebanese Navy divers
I heard on one of the Lebanese TV stations that the Lebanese Navy divers were dispatched to the location of the crash in the sea but that the divers refused to dive. They said that they would only diver when the weather improves. I kid you not. It is…
Posted by As'ad at 8:28 AM 01/26/10
The Ethiopian plane
I have many comments about the Ethiopian plane crash off Beirut and the media coverage but they can’t fit here. That requires a whole Arabic article.
Posted by As'ad at 8:27 AM 01/26/10
Ethan Bronner: he offers his pen AND son to the Israeli army
So the story is out now. Here are the details. I have received various messages about this matter, but they were general. Until a few days ago when I received a very detailed message (from Israel?) about the son of Ethan Bronner joining the Israeli …
Posted by As'ad at 8:17 AM 01/26/10
